Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge

91 Ray Lodge Road, Woodford Green IG8 7PG
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9.5 29 Reviews
Chestnut Nursery Schools Ray Lodge is a great nursery situated a quiet area of Woodford Green. They have a number of childcare rooms that accommodate several different age groups, including a dedicated babies room. They also have a very large outdoor space offering children the chance to experience nature, and explore their forest school ethos. They have a large number of staff members, all highly qualified and enthusiastic about caring for wonderful children.

Please get in touch to arrange a visit today.
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Care Provided by Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Lucy Friddin (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 13
  • Total Places for Children
  • 64
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 08:00-18:00
    Tuesday 08:00-18:00
    Wednesday 08:00-18:00
    Thursday 08:00-18:00
    Friday 08:00-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays, 1 week at Christmas & 2 training days per year

Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge Reviews (29)

Total of 29, showing 1-20
9.5

Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge has a Review Score of 9.5 (9.501) out of 10, based on 11 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge has 29 reviews.

Overall Experience

  • 24
  • 4
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  • 1

Date Published

29
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18

Review from G L (Father of Child) published on 16 April 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5

No parents polls have been had in many years. Prices have been raised by 60% in since 2021, with an additional £60 a day with 7 weeks notice this year.
The management refuses to meet parents for any form of discussion or have communication.

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Review from H B (Mother of Child) published on 21 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Chestnut Nursery School is a fantastic nursery. Their attention to detail with my child's care is amazing, and every member of staff we have encountered has been engaged, welcoming and friendly. Their settling process was really robust, and my son absolutely loves attending every day. They have a great
range of activities and opportunities for the children and a wonderful indoor and outdoor space for play.

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Review from A B (Mother of Child) published on 12 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The support from this nursery has been exceptional, the manager did all she could to get the two days needed for us and continued to communicate prior to joining. The assistant manager is so hands-on and reassuring.
My child has joined the nursery this year and I was extremely apprehensive about leaving
my little boy. They over-communicate and help you as a parent as well as settling the children. He comes home messy every day which is a sign of a good time. The children play outside daily and the care from the staff is genuine. Instant rapports are built and time is taken to get to know each child as an individual. After looking at over 10 nurseries in the area this was by far the best I saw and starting there has been a confirmation of this.

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Review from Ruth B (Mother of Child) published on 9 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Chestnut has been very welcoming and supportive to my child and my family. They are an outstanding nursery that goes above and beyond to look after the children. I can’t fault their work ethic and their commitment to looking after the children. They really do care about their well-being and are very
caring. I have been very happy with the care here and my child will be sad to leave when he starts reception.

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Review from Meera B (Mother of Child) published on 9 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son went to Chestnut since the age of 1 and finished just before he started school and he absolutely loved it there. My daughter now also attends the nursery and initially, she struggled to settle in, but the nursery were absolutely fantastic in helping her (and me!) get through that tough initial
settling-in period by tailoring their care towards my daughter to her individual needs. I really felt that she was in good hands and had constant reassurance from the staff and manager on her progress. Now, she absolutely loves it there and doesn’t want to come home! From the staff, to the food, to the facilities, to the communication, to the level of care that’s provided here, I can’t speak highly enough. Thank you for doing such a great job every single day!

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Review from V C (Mother of Child) published on 8 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Lovely premises with outdoor play areas next to a park, friendly and caring staff, great kids menu. We feel our kid is in a safe and loving environment and he always comes home in a happy mood. Very happy overall.

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Review from Martha B (Mother of Child) published on 8 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both of my children have attended this nursery and I have nothing but good things to say. Clear communication, kind staff and my children have been very happy here. Making friends and developing their social skills, which has allowed my eldest child to transition into school smoothly.

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Review from Niamh R (Mother of Child) published on 6 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am consistently impressed with the team's commitment to creating a safe, nurturing, and enjoyable environment for the children. Their attentiveness is evident in the personalized support my son has received. The staff identified his unique needs and provided the extra care and support he required.
I am particularly grateful for the remarkable work done by SENCO, who have played a pivotal role in enhancing my son's vocabulary and social interaction skills.
It's heartening to see both my children flourish in such a positive and enriching atmosphere. The team at Chestnut Nursery Ray Lodge has truly made a significant impact on our lives, and I cannot thank them enough for their outstanding efforts.

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Review from Marta G (Mother of Child) published on 25 January 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son started in Chestnut nearly 4 months ago, we all felt really welcomed from the first second we contacted them. The adaptation days went perfectly but after a while he struggled a bit leaving me and going inside so the full team was really helpful and sweet with my little one and soon he felt confident
and happy to walk in by himself with a big smile.
Since he started I noticed a massive improvement in his language development, is more open to try new food, sleep improved and is more independent so what else can we ask for! We can’t thank Chestnut’s team for taking such good care of my baby!

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Review from Cara B (Mother of Child) published on 24 August 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter started Chestnut at Ray Lodge in June and has settled in so well and so quickly! She is absolutely thriving.
As a first-time mum, it was extremely daunting sending my daughter to nursery, and although she has had a few wobbly mornings with some tears when leaving me, I gave given the office
a call 10-15 minutes later, and the manager had no trouble in going to check she’s ok (usually fine as soon as she gets to her class and sees her friends!).
It is a long day for a 1-year-old, but she is now settled with the nursery’s routine. She loves the activities and is becoming so confident in exploring!
My daughter has some tummy issues, and the nursery has been so accommodating, making sure she has dairy-free alternatives and helping her when she has trouble going to the toilet. They really do go above and beyond, and I am so grateful.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Chestnut Nursery @ Ray Lodge to any friends or family!

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Review from C M (Mother of Child) published on 24 August 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Chestnut Nursery is a great nursery! My boy has been there now for nearly a year and he absolutely loves it. It is wonderful to know that he is being looked after so well, with such patience and kindness. All the staff there are wonderful and communication from the nursery is always informative and
detailed. I highly recommend the nursery. Thank you to the manager and the team for all the hard work and looking after the little ones so well.

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Review from Jumu C (Mother of Child) published on 20 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Four years on we have returned with my second child.
We had such a great experience with my daughter, that we knew we had to have my son enjoy the same experience.
We waited over a year whilst a space would be made available, but we knew we didn't want him to go anywhere else, so we were happy to
wait.
A fantastic Manager and all the other staff are exceptional at what they do.
I would highly recommend Raylodge Chestnut Nursery to everyone!

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Review from W L (Mother of Child) published on 29 March 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son started at Chestnut Nursery School in January 2023. It was a tough settling-in period but the staff were patient, compassionate and supported him during this transition period. If we had any feedback or concerns, they were taken on board and actioned appropriately and we felt the management are
genuinely invested in making improvements. We feel comfortable dropping him off in the mornings and know he is in good hands. The only constructive feedback we have is a separate sleeping room would be good for younger babies who need dark/quiet to sleep away from the main playroom or are on different sleep schedules. Thank you to the manager, deputy manager and all the team for their hard work.

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Review from Nicola A (Mother of Child) published on 22 December 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son is very happy at nursery.
There are always lots of activities and variations.
The staff are very caring and always involve themselves with the children.
My son has really advanced since joining the nursery and has really come on.
I only have one criticism and that is the food. It's a lot
of chicken and pasta and I feel there should be other foods on offer.

Reply from Lucy Friddin, Manager at Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge

Thank you for your review, so glad to hear that your son has developed since being here, thank you for your feedback regarding our meals, we try to provide a varied diet as much as possible, I will forward your comment on to our outside catering company. Kind regards, Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge


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Review from Heidi L (Mother of Child) published on 6 October 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

When visiting nurseries in the area, Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge stood out right from the start as all the staff were warm and welcoming and it was clear the children were content in their surroundings. My daughter attended the nursery from 10 months to almost 5 years old and thoroughly enjoyed
her time there. During the last twelve months, it has been clear they work hard on preparing the children for starting school which has made the transition very smooth. My daughter learnt so many new skills and became more and more confident over her years at Chestnut, it's been a fantastic experience from beginning to end. I couldn't recommend the nursery more highly.

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Review from Maryam A (Mother of Child) published on 2 September 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Great nursery! My third child is at the nursery. Over the years at the nursery, I have always been happy with the level of care, communication and atmosphere at the nursery. I feel happy and comfortable dropping off the kids knowing they are in great hands. The manager is great at running the nursery
and is always available for any questions. I could not recommend the nursery enough. Thank you to the manager and the team for all the hard work they do for the children!

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Review from Laura L (Mother of Child) published on 1 September 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Both my son and daughter attended Chestnut Nursery School, my son from only 9 months old. We moved our daughter to this nursery after she didn't settle well at another setting and we were thrilled at how quickly she started loving Chestnut. My son also loved it. They were both well looked after and
safe, and we got to know the manager and some key staff very well in the nearly 4 years our children attended. We would happily recommend Chestnut to others and we will all miss the staff!

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Review from Tom C (Father of Child) published on 14 January 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Great nursery, great staff and our son was really happy there. Facilities are really good and the garden area is brilliant.
Only left because we moved out of the area. Was really sad to have to leave.

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Review from Rosie M (Mother of Child) published on 9 July 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both my children have attended Chestnut Nursery and have been really happy there. The staff are caring and provide a lovely setting in order to develop their understanding of the world and social skills. Would highly recommend.

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Review from Michelle S (Mother of Child) published on 13 May 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are having a fantastic experience here with our first child. Our expectations are managed really well and security is so high when we arrange for others to pick up our child. It’s so crucial as a first-time parent that you know your child is safe, and Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge makes us
feel that way. We love how our child is developing, coming home and singing songs, talking and laughing. They’ve also got her using the toilet at 2 years old! What an incredible team at Ray Lodge, we can never thank you all enough.

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Current Review Score: 9.5 (9.501)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.5 (9.501) out of 10 for Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 11 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.8 out of 5 from 10 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.720 for Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge is calculated as follows: ( (118 Excellents x 5) + (6 Goods x 4) + (1 Poors x 2) + (7 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 132 Ratings = 4.72

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 4.781 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge is based on 10 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 64 number of registered child places is 12.8. 10 Positive Reviews ÷ 12.8 = 0.781

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

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Meet the Team (1)

Lucy

Lucy Friddin

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2015

I have been working within childcare for most of my life, in many different roles. I have a CACHE level 3 and I have an Early Childhood Studies Degree. During my degree, I was able to expand my knowledge regarding child development and was given the opportunity to do voluntary work in children’s homes in India, which is where I completed my research for my dissertation. I have been with Chestnut Nursery School since 2015 and I have worked my way up to management. I feel these opportunities have provided me with hands-on, practical skills, as well as the theoretical side to be able to mentor and guide my team today.

I love working here at Chestnut Nursery School Ray Lodge; we have a diverse, happy, healthy and safe environment for children as well as the team, which enables us to provide the best possible start for children.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge

What is the Age Range of Children that Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge accepts?

Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge Open?

Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge is open: Monday 08:00-18:00, Tuesday 08:00-18:00, Wednesday 08:00-18:00, Thursday 08:00-18:00, Friday 08:00-18:00.

How many Children does Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge have capacity for?

Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge has capacity for a total of 64 Children.

How far is Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge to the centre of Woodford Green?

0.4 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Chestnut Nursery School @ Ray Lodge has a Platinum Service – more info.